Directional signal



NOV. ,8, A M, NIELSEN DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL Fil ed May 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS A. M. NIELSEN Nov. 8, 1938.

DIRECT IONAL S IGNAL Filed-May 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Arthur Nielsen, Bufialo, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1937, Serial No. 141,835 7 1 Claim.

This invention relates to'directional signals and has for an object to provide .a device adapted to display an illuminated hand to simulate the conventional hand signal, on the right and left side of the motor vehicle, the signalbeing projected preferably from the cowl and withdrawn into the vehicle by suction of the intake manifold;

A further object is to provide a novel valve mechanism for controlling suction of the intake to I project ahorizontal tubular member containing a normally concealed signal hand beyond the side of the vehicle and to withdraw the same into a tubular piston cylinder in the vehicle.

A further object is to provide novel means for simultaneously rocking the pivoted portion of the hand signalling element to operative position and closing a circuit to a flasher lamp to illuminate the hand signal element.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inex-' pensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure lis a front elevation of the directional signal constructed in accordance with the invention in signalling position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the directional signal with the parts in inactive position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view showing the parts in position to simultaneously close the lamp circuit and expand the fan-like hand.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the pivot and adjacent parts of the movable section of the hand.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 showing the hand and supporting bracket thereof, the latter being shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2 showing the movable member of the circuit closer.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the valve mechsignal device in inactive position.

Fgure 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 7.

Referring now tothe drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, [0 designates a cylinder adapted to be secured substantially horizontally to preferably the cowl H of a motor vehicle, and for this purpose the end of the cylinder is threaded into a collar I2 carried by a flange l3 which is secured in any preferred manner to the inner face of the cowl and is provided with a seat I to receive a rubber gasket l5 which surrounds a tubular member l6 which is telescopically received in the cylinder I0. Preferably these parts are duplicated on each side of the vehicle.

The tubular member I6 is closed at one end by a head I! to which a pistonrod I8 is attached, the piston rod being equipped with'apiston I9, and. is substantially the same in length as the tubular member so that when the piston is at the inner limit of its movement the tubular member will be withdrawn into the piston cylinder Hi. When the piston is at its outer limit of movement the tubular member will be projected from the cylinder III. A suction pipe 20 is connected atits opposite ends to the cylinder l0 and is connected by a pipe 2| to the intake manifold of the motor. A manually operable valve designated in general by the numeral 22 and later described in detail, reverses direction of the suction in the suction pipe to operate on opposite sides of the piston and selectively withdraw or project the tubular member l'6 from the cylinder. A hand signalling element 23, preferably formed of soft rubber colored red,'is suspended within the tubular member l6 by brackets. The hand member is provided with a section 25 that is foldable upon itself as shown in'Figures 2 and 4, to collapse the hand member within the interior of the tubular member I6, as shown in said figures.

For the purpose-of extending the section 25 fanwise to operative position a pair of fingers '26 are embedded therein and the rear'ends of thefingers are connected to a sleeve 21 which is mounted to turn on a pivot shaft 28 having its ends fixed to opposite sides of the sleeve or tubular meme her. A crank 29 is secured to the sleeve and is provided with a push rod 30. When the push rod is moved rearwardly the fingers 26 will be rocked upwardly and carry the section 25 of the hand member to folded position within the tube. When the push rod is moved forwardly the fingers will be rocked downwardly to expand the hand fanwise below the tube. The tube is cut away at the front and rear as shown at 3| to expose the hand member in expanded signalling position.

A lamp bulb 32 preferably of the flasher type is mounted in a socket 33 carried by the leading head 34 of the tubular member as best shown in Figure 3, in advance of the signal hand member 23. The circuit wires 35 for the lamp are trained through the brackets 24, rearwardly along a top of the tube and enter a tubular post 36 having a head 31 which is integral with a sleeve 38, best shown in Figure 6. The sleeve is mounted on a pivot pin 39. The head is provided with an integral crank 40 which is pivotally connected to the rear end of the push rod by a pivot pin 4|. A spring 42 connected to the rear head ll of the tubular member 43 normally holds the push rod 30 in retracted position and holds the hand signalling member 23 in inactive position.

The post 36 which as previously stated houses the circuit wires 35 is thus pivoted to swing on the pivot pin 39. The post carries a cross arm 43 having switch contacts 44 to which the circuit wires are connected. As best shown in Figure 3, stationary switch contacts 45 are carried by an insulating block 46 secured to the before mentioned collar l2. Circuit wires 41 are connected to the stationary switch contact and may be connected to the source of electrical energy of the motor vehicle.

When the tubular member I6 is projected from the side of the vehicle the post 36 will be carried along with it and at the end of movement of the tubular member the contacts 44 will engage the contacts 45 and close the lamp circuit to energize the lamp and illuminate the hand signal member. As soon as the tubular member I6 is withdrawn from signalling position the spring 42 will return the post to its initial position and simultaneously collapse the flexible signal hand to its folded condition within the tubular member.

The vacuum controlling valve 22 is best shown in detail in Figures '7, 8 and 9. The valve body 48 is carried by a tube 49 which is fixed to the instrument panel 50. The valve 5| is of substantially inverted T-shape, as shown best in Figure '7 and is fixed to a valve stem 52 which extends through the tube 49 and is equipped with a handle 53.

The beforementioned valve pipes 20 enter the valve body from diametrically opposite points and open into the piston cylinder near the opposite heads 54 of the cylinder. As best shown in Figure 9, the valve body is provided with diverging passages 55 which communicate with a ver- 'tical passage 56 which in turn communicates with the suction pipe 2|. The valve 5| is provided with a V-shaped passage 51 one leg of which is adapted to communicate with one of the suction passages 58 in the valve body when the valve handle 53 is turned in one direction and the other leg of which is adapted to communicate with the other suction pipe when the handle is turned to its limit of movement in the opposite direction and selectively connect either end of the piston cylinder with the intake manifold.

Stop pins 58 carried by the valve body limit movement of the valve 5| in either direction, as best shown in Figure 7.

A helical spring 60 is sleeved on the valve stem 52 in the tube 59 and holds the valve 5| in intimate contact with the valve body 48.

In operation, to indicate an intended turn the driver may swing the valve handle to the left as shown best in Figure 1 to connect the front end of-the piston cylinder l0 between the cylinder heads 54 with the suction pipe 2|. The front of the piston is thereby subjected to vacuum and will be moved forwardly to project the tubular member l6 beyond the cowl. When the member I6 reaches its limit of movement the movable switch contacts 44 will be engaged with the stationary switch contacts 45 to energize the lamp 32 and simultaneously the post 36, carrying the movable switch contacts, will be swung rearwardly and move the push rod 30 to swing the fingers 26 downwardly and expand the signal hand member fan-like to operative position. After the intended turn has been made the driver need only swing the handle 53 back to initial position whereupon the suction of the intake on the piston I9 is reversed and the tubular signal member I6 is withdrawn into the cylinder ID, as best shown in Figure 2, ready for the next oper' ation.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

A directional signal comprising a cylinder adapted to be secured substantially horizontal in concealed position on a motor vehicle, a tubular member telescopically assembled with said cylinder, means for projecting said member from said cylinder and withdrawing said tubular mem ber into said cylinder, said tubular member being cut away at an outer portion thereof, a flexible rubber hand folded upon itself and carried by said tubular member at said cut away portion, a pivot shaft extending transversely of the tubular member, a sleeve loose on said shaft, fingers connected to opposite sides of the sleeve and imbedded at the free ends in a folded portion of the hand for unfolding the hand and expanding the hand when the sleeve is rocked, a crank connected to the sleeve, a push rod connected to the crank, a post rockably connected to the tubular member and connected to the push rod, a stationary member connected to the cylinder at the outer end thereof and adapted to engage and rock said post when the tubular member is projected from the cylinder to move the push rod for operating said fingers, and a spring connected to said push rod and to said tubular member for normally holding the push rod in neutral position to hold the hand collapsed in folded condition and concealed within the tubular member.

ARTHUR M. NIELSEN. 

